Part sweet and part savory, this stir-fry dish is a cinch to make and will please any kid’s picky palate
Inspired by her husband’s love of chicken wings, Kari of GI 365 created this Honey Garlic Chicken stir-fry recipe that features the same sweet and savory flavors of her hubby’s favorite dish. Your kids will love the flavor combination, and you’ll love that making this healthy meal only takes 30 minutes. It’s a win-win.
Serves 4
Ingredients for Honey Garlic Chicken:
Sauce:
⅓ cup soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
1 Tablespoon organic cornstarch
⅓ cup honey
Stir-Fry:
1 medium onion, diced ½”
1½ pounds broccoli, stems peeled
1 pound chicken thighs, cut into 1″ cubes
2 Tablespoons avocado oil, (or olive oil)
¼ cup water
3 cloves garlic, minced
Method:
1. Start by mixing the soy sauce and cornstarch together until the cornstarch dissolves. Add the honey to the soy sauce mixture, but you don’t need to combine them (this happens in the pan).
2. Thinly slice the peeled broccoli stems, cut the florets into 1″ pieces, and set the broccoli aside with the onion.
3. Preheat a large skillet over high heat.
4. When the pan is almost smoking, add 1 Tablespoon of avocado oil and the chicken cubes. Sauté for about 2 minutes to brown before turning the chicken cubes, and cooking until golden brown and done in the center. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of avocado oil to the pan. Add the onion and broccoli, and cook stirring every 30 seconds for 3-5 minutes or until the onions begin to soften and the broccoli turns bright green but is still crisp.
6. Add the ¼ cup of water to the pan, cover with a lid, and simmer for 3 minutes until the water has mostly evaporated and the broccoli is just tender.
7. Add the sautéed chicken, minced garlic, and the sauce into the skillet.
8. Stir to incorporate the honey, and simmer for 1-2 minutes to thicken the sauce. Serve immediately.
It’s the peak season for this classic kid activity
On our list of timeless traditions that never go out of style are sidewalk chalk art, jump rope, and blowing bubbles. If you’re tired of buying ready-made bubble wands, here’s how to make bubbles at home using ordinary household items that you likely already have on hand.
What You Will Need:
12 cups of water
1 cup dish soap
1 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp baking powder
1-2 wire coat hangers and a frying pan
1 6-pack plastic ring
Paper towel tube
How to Make Bubbles:
In a clean bucket or dishpan mix together the ingredients in order. Keep a ladle or scoop in the bucket and stir occasionally making sure not to cause too much foam. Remove the excess foam as it appears. When the bucket is half empty add another cup of water.
No wands handy? You can use a paper towel tube, plastic rings from a 6 pack, and even those old wire hangers! Bend the coat hanger into the shape of a loop and dip it into the frying pan letting the excess drip off before waving it through the air.
Tips for Making Perfect Bubbles:
We found that Joy and Dawn dish soap brands work the best. You can also use tear-free baby shampoo if you have little ones around. While this bubble recipe is designed and tested to work in any weather, humidity really does matter. Warm and humid days will produce the best bubbles around. If you have a windy day, try blowing downwind letting mother nature do the work for you! Make your solution a couple of days beforehand and keep the extra. A solution that has marinated for a while produces the biggest bubbles of all.
Some days it feels as if all our kids will eat is pasta. To save you from another night of plain, buttery pasta, we humbly suggest this pasta with cream and ham that also has major grown-up appeal. Marta at Travel For Taste says this recipe is so simple, all you need are two major ingredients–ham and cream! An added bonus: it only takes 20 minutes to prepare, and that even includes cooking the pasta. We’re pretty confident you’ll be making this recipe on more than one occasion, so be sure to print it out and save it in your recipe book.
Ingredients for Pasta with Cream and Ham:
– 5 cups pasta
– 1 3/4 cream
– 1/2 lb ham
– salt to taste
– 1/2 tsp pepper
– 1 flat teaspoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water (optional, if you want the cream thicker)
– parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
Method:
1. Put the water for pasta to boil, salt it a bit, and add pasta. Follow the instructions on your package.
2. Pour cream into a deep frying pan and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Keep cooking for 5-7 minutes, while stirring all the time, in order to reduce it a little bit.
3. If you like the sauce even thicker you might mix cornstarch with some cold water and add it to the cream (while stirring constantly).
4. Add ham and mix everything well.
5. Mix with pasta and serve. Optional step: serve with copious amounts of parmesan cheese.
As a world traveler, Marta has experienced culinary creations from all across the globe. Mementos of her travels often come in the form of food-related souvenirs. Using nothing more than a tiny studio kitchen, she creates recipes that span the globe as wide as her travels, with a special emphasis on foods from her childhood. Find all of her favorite recipes as well as check out her superstar photography skills on her website, Travel For Taste.
We’ve all been there: all set to bust out your favorite recipe or do some baking with the kids and you find yourself short on a key ingredient. Whether you’re looking for a baking soda substitution or you are in need of an egg substitution, or it’s just not practical (or safe) to go to the store, we’ve got a handy list for those just-in-case moments.
Baking powder: The following are equal to 1 tsp. baking powder.
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda + 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1/2 cup plain yogurt + 1 tsp. baking soda. Mix dry ingredients together first before adding yogurt. dded to dry ingredients. (Reduce amount of water or other liquids).
1/2 tsp. lemon juice + 1/4 tsp. baking soda.
1/4 cup of molasses + 1/4 tsp. baking soda.
1/2 tsp. vinegar + 1/4 tsp. baking soda.
Baking soda:
Baking powder at a 3x ratio (i.e. 3 tsp. baking powder = roughly 1 tsp. baking soda).
Brown sugar:
1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp. maple syrup or molasses
Maple syrup, agave nectar or molasses at the ratio of 2/3 cup liquid to 1 cup of brown sugar. Reduce your other liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup each.
Aquafaba, aka bean water! This is the liquid leftover from canned beans. Use 3 tbsp. per egg. This is great to sub for whipped meringues or when a recipe calls for egg whites.
Flour:
It’s Pretty hard to sub out flour, but you can create your own flour from dried oats if you powder them. Other flours, such as almond flour or coconut flour, can be used on a 1 to 1 ratio but don’t expect the same results. Liquids bind differently with these flours, so if possible try for a half regular/half alternative flour recipe.
Half and half or heavy cream:
Add 2 tbsp. of cornstarch to regular milk.
Melt 1/4 cup butter into 3/4 cup regular or skim milk.
Lemon/lemon juice:
You can sub in vinegar, orange juice, lime juice or white wine in place of lemon juice.
Powdered sugar:
DIY your own powdered sugar by putting regular (castor) sugar into a food processor until it’s…well…powdered!
Sour cream:
Add 1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice to yogurt.
Yeast:
There isn’t really a great substitute for yeast, but in a pinch you can try using equal parts baking soda + vinegar (or another acid like lemon juice) to create a leavening effect.
Sub a little of your water for vodka and your pie crust somehow comes out flakier. And now you have an almost-full bottle of vodka on hand. Just sayin…
If you run out of food coloring, Use Jello to tint decorative icing.
Stains: they are the hallmark of true parenting (and a sure result of a girls-night-in). While you might be able to let a few slide, some of them just could cost you the deposit on your apartment or incite a desire to replace your shag with something more, well, wipeable. We polled our editorial staff—who know a thing or two about stain removal—and got together their best tips. Scroll down for 18 simple ways to keep it clean.
1. Use boiling water for red wine: You might have heard the tried and true soda water/cold water rinse for red wine, but here’s a method our editors swear by—pour boiling water over the red wine stain and blot it up with a cloth (Note: do not blot it before without water).
2. Use lemon for sweat rings: Use lemon juice and water on sweat stains. Make a little potion and soak the area. Baking soda and water paste can help remove underarm stains on white clothing.
3. Use salt for red wine and grease stain: Pour salt on the stain to soak up any extra wine, then soak in cold water for 30 min. For blood, one hour in cold saltwater. Salt also helps absorb grease stains!
4. Use Shock It Clean. No, we don’t mean singing perfectly on-pitch to "Side to Side" and shocking the crowd. One of our editors turned us on to this product, and we are telling you that it removes every carpet stain ever. Including that weird pee stain you only just now noticed and can’t tell if it’s human or pet.
5. Use white wine on red wine: Yes, you have to waste a little white wine, but that’s nothing compared to wasting a good Sangiovese (Yes, we realize this is the third wine stain hack. What?).
6. Use white vinegar to get out coffee stains: Try white vinegar on coffee stains (on clothing). Soak for at least 8 hrs.
7. Chalk works on oil: Liquid dish soap is the most effective treatment for oil stains, but a stick of chalk can help absorb it quickly. Use a paper towel to blot up as much oil as possible, then rub the chalk stick on it. Wash as soon as possible.
8. One word: Oxiclean (That's one word, right?). Grass stains have met their match.
9. Use nail polish remover on paint: If you’ve got paint on the jeans you just couldn’t bring yourself to take off before touching up the walls, try shaving it off with a razor. Super stubborn paint stains from the people who painted before you can be combatted with nail polish remover and elbow grease.
10. Aluminum foil works wonder on rust: You can remove rust by lightly scrubbing with aluminum foil. Add a little white vinegar to really scrape off stubborn stuff.
11. Lemons make your sink shine: Clean up the gunk and shine up the chrome of your faucets using lemons. You can use a half-lemon or a wedge to squeeze into narrow spots and it works great to get your stainless steel sink to gleam too.
12. Toothpaste will make your diamonds sparkle: Use toothpaste to polish your silver rings and get rid of those tarnished stains.
13. Take care with rubbing alcohol to get nail polish out of the carpet: If you spill nail polish on the carpet or floor, use a microfiber cloth to absorb as much as you can, then continue blotting with rubbing alcohol and microfiber cloth (Nail polish remover can damage hardwoods and other flooring surfaces, but you can try soaking the microfiber cloth in a bit of remover before washing).
14. Baking soda and white vinegar works on pet messes: To clean up poop, dog or otherwise, from the carpet you'll need white vinegar and baking soda. And a lot of paper towels. And probably gloves. Just let the paste fizz and blot, fizz and blot. It's like a mini-volcano of gross.
15. Cornstarch on a decorated dog: Kids got markers and/or paints and painted your dog? (No, oh, just wait...) If your pooch is light-colored, cornstarch can help lighten the fur back up.
16. Shout also works on pet messes: You can try your average carpet cleaner or "pet stain remover" but we found nothing takes care of the remains of the day like a laundry stain remover, i.e. extra-strength Shout.
17. Soda on garage grease stains. Pour a can of Coke on a greasy stain in your garage. (Diet Coke won't cut it, but you can always try.)
18. If all else fails: Give up (wear dark colors, or beige if you’re preventing spit-up stains; make sure your carpets are artfully swirly; put smocks on your kids every day).
Chalk paint is a type of paint that you can create at home and use on various surfaces. It’s simple to make, easy to work with, and a fun activity for both kids and adults. It’s also inexpensive—in fact, you probably have all the ingredients you need to make it at home. Keep reading to learn how to make your own chalk paint and different ways to use it with the family.
What you’ll need:
Cornstarch
Water
Food coloring
Muffin pans or small bowls
Paintbrushes
Stencils (optional)
Follow these instructions for easy DIY chalk paint
Step 1: Combine cornstarch and water in equal parts.
Step 2: Next, pour the cornstarch mixture into a muffin tin or small bowls.
Step 3: Finally, add food coloring of your choice until it gets to your desired color. Now you’re ready to paint!
How to Use DIY Chalk Paint
One of the best aspects of chalk paint is that it’s a great way to get creative. Even better, it easily washes away, making cleanup a breeze. Chalk paint is similar to chalk, but you use paintbrushes instead of chalk pieces to create your artwork. DIY chalk paint is a great activity for people of all ages and you can do it both indoors or outdoors! Chalk paint, like traditional chalk, works great on the sidewalk or driveway. It can also be used to decorate chalkboards to display in your home.
Ways Kids Can Use Chalk Paint
Chalk paint is a great way to keep the kids busy for hours. With many extracurricular activities being canceled this year, it’s been more important than ever to find some at-home crafts for the kids.
Practice letters and numbers: For the younger kids, you can use chalk paint as a way to help teach them their letters and numbers when they are out of school. It makes learning fun!
Practice spelling and math: For the slightly older kids, you can also use chalk paint in the summer months, but up the difficulty level with spelling tests and multiplication tables. It makes practicing their schoolwork more fun when they can do it outside!
Paint their pets: Challenge your kids to paint their dog or cat. Mix a bunch of colors and go crazy.
Create games: Classic games that you would use with chalk are perfect for chalk paint! Hopscotch and foursquare are the most popular chalk games.
Make fun stencils: There are many places that you can find printable stencils online, or you can create your own! Kids will love making different stenciled designs and painting them with the chalk paint they helped create.
Ways Adults Can Use Chalk Paint
No, chalk paint isn’t just for kids. There are many ways that adults can use it too. Here are some ideas for chalkboards.
Create a weekly dinner menu: For those who are always dealing with the “what’s for dinner?” question, use your chalk paint to make a pretty menu so that your kids or spouse can check throughout the week.
Use it for a daily quote, joke, affirmation: Using chalk paint as a way to display inspirational quotes, funny jokes, or daily affirmations can help start your day right.
Paint your favorite bible verse: Painting the bible verse that means the most to you will be a comforting display to look at throughout the day.
Christmas countdown: Make a Christmas, birthday, or special event countdown. We all need a little extra cheer this holiday season, so counting down to Christmas can help keep up the excitement this time of year brings.
Tips for Your DIY Chalk Paint
Chalk paint doesn’t dry instantly—Unlike regular chalk, the paint takes some time to dry. Be careful not to touch your art for a few hours—otherwise, you may smudge it.
Add more water or cornstarch depending on thickness—It’s hard to mess up chalk paint, so if you think it’s a little runny or too stiff, just add a little more cornstarch or water and you’ll be good to go.
Chalk paint color will dry darker—As your painting, you may be tempted to go darker or paint more layers. Remember, the paint will dry darker than when you first paint, so you’ll get a good idea of what it looks like after it dries.
DIY chalk paint is a fun activity for kids and adults. It’s easy to make and you probably have most of the ingredients you need already in your pantry! Make some fun games for the kids and they’ll stay busy for hours.
Julia is a dog mom and content creator. When she's not writing or playing with her pup, you can find her playing tennis or chowing down on a vegan burger.
Baby powder has become a source of controversy over the past few years. Many users claim that this one time household staple causes cancer. Johnson & Johnson announced today that they will stop selling its talc-based baby powder in the U.S. and Canada.
“Demand for talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder in North America has been declining due in large part to changes in consumer habits and fueled by misinformation around the safety of the product and a constant barrage of litigation advertising,” the company said in a statement.
Cornstarch-based baby powder will still be available in North America. Both types of powders will continue to be sold globally where there is significantly higher consumer demand for the product Johnson & Johnson said.
Mondelez International, the company behind some of your fave sweet treats, recently announced a recall for 13-ounce packages of Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies. According to a press release, Mondelez initiated the voluntary recall due to the presence of an “unexpected solidified ingredient.” Mondelez did not immediately return Red Tricycle’s request for comment.
If you have, or think you have, this product in your home, read on for more information on the recent recall.
Mondelēz Global LLC announced April 13, 2019 a voluntary recall in the United States, of certain Chewy Chips Ahoy 13 oz. due to the potential for certain product to contain an unexpected solidified ingredient. Click below for full list of affected product. https://t.co/x6y5o65Kjg
Recalled Product Description: Chewy Chips Ahoy Cookies
The current recall includes 13-ounce packages of Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies with the retail UPC 0 44000 03223 4. The cookies have best when used by dates of Sep. 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2019.
Why the Cookies Were Recalled
The recalled cookies may contain an “unexpected solidified ingredient” that has caused some adverse health reactions. In an emailed statement to CBS MoneyWatch, a Mondelez company spokesperson elaborated on the issue, citing solidified cornstarch as the potential problem. The spokesperson also added that even though a “vast majority” of consumers have had no adverse reactions to the cookies, “A small number of consumers have reported gagging, choking or dental injury, but none of these reports have been confirmed at this time.”
How to Tell If Your Cookies Are Part of the Recall
Check the UPC code and best when used by dates against those listed above. The best when used by dates are found on the left top side of the package tab. For a full list of use by dates and more information, refer to the company’s press statement.
What Parents Can Do
If you have the recalled cookies in your home don’t eat them. Contact Mondelez at 1-844-366-1171 for 24-hour recall information. To talk to a Consumer Relations specialist, contact the company Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT.
We’ve found your new favorite weeknight meal, courtesy of The Flavours of Kitchen. The key to this succulent chicken is in the orange sauce, enhanced with brown sugar, soy sauce and fresh ginger. It’s easy to remix this recipe too—you can substitute chicken breast or different veggies if that’s what your crew prefers.
Ingredients 2 pounds chicken thigh, bone-in and skin on 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1.5 tbsp fresh ginger, cut into thin julienne 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 1 tsp red chili flakes Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup red bell pepper, cut 2 tsp cornstarch 1/4 cup water
Method 1. In a nonstick pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Cook the chicken thigh on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side.
2. Mix orange juice, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, red chili flakes, salt and pepper.
3. Preheat the slow cooker on high heat for 20 minutes. Then add chicken thigh and orange juice mixture.
4. Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours. Stir a couple of times in between, to make sure the juice is evenly covering all the chicken thighs.
5. At the end of 2 hours, stir cornstarch and water together. Pour it into the slow cooker and mix well.
6. Then add chopped red bell pepper. Give everything a good stir and cook on high for another 45 minutes to 1 hour.
7. To serve, garnish with chopped green onions.
We thank Subhasmita of The Flavours of Kitchen for sharing this recipe and photo with us. Be sure to check out her site to find lots more healthy and easy-to-make recipes.
With Halloween around the corner, your little ones may still be deciding … dragon or dinosaur? Moana or Maui? Too many trolls to choose! With the transformative power of face paint, a last minute mind change will never mean you have a costume to return. We rounded up easy ways to trick out your Halloween and keep imaginations spinning all year long. Keep reading to see them all.
1. Keep their eyes on the prize.
Whether your trick-or-treater wants to be a wizard or a witch, an eye mask always completes the makeover. You can find a slew of eye inspiration here, or design your own fun shape and embellishments for a truly unique look.
2. Try out a prowl.
Does it get any easier than a set of whiskers? We don’t think so. And really, they’re all your shy cat or fierce lion needs to play the part. Any black eyeliner will do the trick. In fact, look no further than mom’s makeup bag for tons of fun ways to use everyday makeup as face paint.
3. Color inside the lines.
If freestyling is leaving you uninspired, invest in a stencil set like this one from Create A Face for dozens of great ideas. With plenty of options on hand, these can be reused for birthday parties or rainy-day dress-up down the road. And don’t forget about arms and legs—you can stencil on temporary tattoos too!
4. Face off with a friend.
A partner in candy crime can double the fun. For any full-coverage commitment, be sure to go with natural, non-toxic paints like these from Elegant Minerals. In general, check that any face paint you buy is water-soluble and free of lead, nickel, chromium, or any other skin allergens—the only Halloween heavy metal we’re interested in is of the musical variety.
5. Go abstract.
Bold colors and swooping lines are a simple way to pull off a strong, dramatic, and one-of-a-kind look. And if you only need a handful of colors, Go Green Face Paint’s organic, stackable kit packs in plenty o’ paint to get the job done.
photo: Becky Baran
6. Add a little lip.
Nothing is cuter than when your pup starts talking like a toddler. If you want to make the mouth a key part of the animal fun, again ensure safety by going with food-based ingredients. It will take a little extra prep work, but you’ll save a lot of time worrying! This recipe by Mommypotamus largely consists of cornstarch, flour, honey, water, and natural food dye.
7. Bling out.
If you have a kid who will jump for gems, they are a perfect way to add that little extra pizazz. Mama Clown’s assorted self-adhesives make it easier than ever to bedazzle your design. Try adding a necklace or forehead hat or crown to complete the look.
8. Get in the hot seat.
Why not take the first spin? Your Halloween artists may come up with ideas they never would have thought of without brushes in their own hands. If you’re in need of the right tool for the job, check out Silly Farm’s extensive assortment of supplies.
9. Remember a ‘stache.
Second to whiskers, little is easier than adding a mustache. Consider going multi-colored to kick things up a notch. Extra points if you make use of eyebrow real estate! Dress Up America’s Face & Body Crayons will give you extra control with color and are another great option for kids to use themselves.
10. Cheek to cheek … and sweet.
Less can truly be more. Give everyone you trick or treat a reason to smile with something as simple as a rainbow, heart, or peace sign. The Klutz Face Painting Craft Kit has several step-by-step cheek designs to pull off that most classic look of all.
Plan to face paint this Halloween? Share your ideas in the Comments below!
